NEW YORK – A revamped menu helped boost Burger King’s profit in the fourth quarter, but now the world’s second-biggest hamburger chain says it needs to play up value more aggressively to compete with rivals.

The Miami-based chain said Friday that sales in the new year are trending “modestly negative” as the broader fast-food industry fights to attract cash-strapped diners with cheap eats.

To address the intensifying focus on value from competitors, Steve Wiborg, president of Burger King’s North America operations, said the company launched a limited-time offer for a Junior Whopper for $1.29 this week.

Although Burger King will continue to pursue a “barbell” strategy of also offering premium items, Wiborg said that for now it will be “a little more focused on value because of competitive pressures.”

With the broader restaurant industry expected to be flat to modestly up this year, companies are going to greater lengths to convince people to eat out more.

McDonald’s, for example, has been underscoring its Dollar Menu to boost sales and recently added a Grilled Onion Cheddar Burger to the lineup. In some markets, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based chain is also offering six-piece Chicken McNuggets for a buck.

Wendy’s also revamped its 99-cent menu to offer customers more variety, as well as giving it more wiggle room to charge slightly higher prices.

The chain’s new “Right Price, Right Size” menu has tiered pricing that goes up to around $2.

Meanwhile, Burger King CEO Bernardo Hees said sales in Europe haven’t been affected by the horsemeat scandal that has gripped the region. Hees said Burger King’s sales in the United Kingdom have been up in January and February.

Burger King delivered strong fourth-quarter results; its net income nearly doubled as a key sales figure rose in North America and the company shifted to a franchisee-owned store model that significantly slashed costs.

Adjusted earnings and revenue topped Wall Street’s expectations. It also raised its dividend by 25 percent to 5 cents a share.

3G Capital, the private investment firm that owns a majority stake in the company, has been working to turn around Burger King’s business since purchasing it in 2010.

The franchisee-owned store model is aimed at cutting down on overhead costs and boosting profit margins. At the end of the year, the company said it was 97 percent franchised, versus 90 percent at the end of 2011. It planned to be nearly fully franchised this year.